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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Summer Job Market Should Improve for Oregon Teens this Year

This afternoon's guest blog post from our state employment economist brings a bit of good news for teens looking for work this summer:

The industry sectors that employ the most teenagers were
hiring faster than usual this spring, and that should lift the prospects of
teenagers looking to land a job this summer. Accommodation and food services
added 900 jobs in April, retail trade added 700 jobs, and health care and
social assistance added 1,400 jobs. These three sectors employ roughly two out
of three teens ages 14 to 18 who work in Oregon. Although April’s job growth
includes workers of all ages, it’s likely that some of these jobs are going to
teens. In addition to the nonfarm jobs, more than 5,000 teens will find work in
Oregon’s agriculture sector this summer.

Teenagers face a much tougher time finding summer jobs
following the recession because they are competing more with older job seekers
that have experience and flexible schedules. In 2006, more than 51,000 teens
found work with a new employer during the summer months. Summer hiring of teens
fell during the recession to roughly 27,000 and has improved slightly since
then, but not as much as hiring has picked up for other age groups.

Teens looking for jobs this summer can take advantage of the
advice and resources in the Employment Department’s Oregon Careers
2014 magazine. The extra preparation will help to impress potential
employers, which is essential when competing for jobs against other teens and
older workers.

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Welcome to the Oregon Employment blog, brought to you by the Research Division of the Oregon Employment Department. We love studying the economy, helping the public, and using numbers all day long! Feel free to ask questions and leave comments because we're here to help!